Five years after the launch of the original Manny’s Sweet Treats in Mineola, Hector Carvalho has added a second location. Manny’s Sweet Treats Petite opened late last month in Rockville Centre, taking over the space that was last Rock A Taco. This time around, he’s joined by co-owners Adam Kovzan, Hadil El Wahidy and Zouhair Aslaoui.
Beyond Manny’s signature ice-cream- cereal- and cookie-topped pancakes and waffles, milkshakes and various ice cream creations, customers can order burrito crepes, offered three ways — cheesecake, Nutella and Oreo; red velvet cake; and chocolate cake obsession (all served with churro bites; $12.99 each) and the popular Homer Simpson ice cream sandwich, starring housemade, air-fried doughnuts stuffed with ice cream and cereal and topped with a drizzling of housemade cinnamon sauce ($9.99).
Carvalho said he found Rockville Centre to be the ideal location for his second store. “We have a movie theater here, we have a club, but there’s no spot for a simple date,” he said, something that’s fun, low-key and is price-conscience.
Eight stools at an L-shaped counter overlooking Merrick Road, plus a couple of four-tops make up this new incarnation. Treats can also be delivered via UberEats, DoorDash and Grubhub.
Different from the original location: Manny’s 2.0 does not offer alcohol or savory eats. It’s also “fully halal,” Carvalho said, explaining that the candies are made with beef gelatin instead of pork gelatin.
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Carvalho grew up working at restaurants across the Island, and when he graduated from Stony Brook University in 2011, he joined the family business, Churrasqueira Bairrada Restaurant in Mineola (next door to the original Manny’s). Five years later, he opened the first Manny’s, paying homage to his father. Operating during the pandemic has added a layer of difficulty, mostly due to shortages and price spikes. “One week you can buy to-go containers for $40; the next, they’re up to $90, he said. “Even ice cream is facing shortages.”
Manny’s Sweet Treats Petite is at 280 Merrick Rd. in Rockville Centre. It’s open Tuesdays to Sundays from noon to 11 p.m.; Fridays and Sundays until 2:30 a.m. 516-285-2425. mannyst.com
